Into the Rain
by Ryuuen Chou
Summary: Nuriko and Tasuki talk. (shounen-ai)


Into the Rain  
By Ryuuen  
  
Warnings: Shounen-ai, language, A/U  
Subtle Warning: Those who don't like Tas/Nuri pairings shouldn't read this. (that was subtle??)  
  
Disclaimer: I had Fushigi Yugi, but I left the window of the car rolled down and someone stole it! Darn!  
  
A/N: A little angsty ficcy from yours truly, dealing with romance.. awww... *things get thrown at her* ....uh, nevermind.. anyway, read and review puh-leezze?!?  
Oh yeah, this is an A/U where Nuriko is still crossdressing when Tasuki joins the team, even though the seishi and Miaka all know that he's a man.  
  
  
INTO THE RAIN--  
  
Nuriko looked at his arm and frowned. The poor dress would never be the same again. Standing in the Imperial Gardens, under the willow trees (naturally his favorite place), in the cold rain, the Suzaku star warrior examined the ruined silk dress with a critical eye.  
Nope, he'd never be able to wear this one again after this. The silk held his body in a tight deathgrip, showing his lack of.. err.. "figure" to anyone who cared to look closely. Luckily there was no one else there at the time, or he would be in trouble, since only the other star warriors and the Priestess knew that he was a man. To everyone else, he was, and always would be, simply Lady Korin, as they had always known him.  
Glancing down at his own rain-soaked body, he saw that the cloth stuck especially well to his chest, perhaps because the part of the dress there was thinner than the rest, because he couldn't stand to wear clothes too heavy. He went for casual, not borderline-insanely dramatic. But at the moment his only real fear was having any of the harem girls (whom he was a part of) see his flat chest and utter lack of womanly "figure". He couldn't trust them to keep their mouth shut, especially since it would be great gossip if one of the harem ladies was revealed to be a man..  
Oh, for Heaven's sake!! He berated himself, by the time I go inside, no one will be awake to see me...! They always go to sleep so early, no one will find me out.. right?  
His eyebrows slanted downwards, a thoughtful frown playing at his lips.  
They can't find out, he thought, there'll be a scandle, and all of that, and Hotohori-sama will never like me if I create trouble for him!! Oh Suzaku, what am I going to do?  
"Nuriko?" A voice asked, and Nuriko's eyes opened, only to be faced directly with wide, concerned-looking green eyes, a worried frown on the man's lips. "You okay?"  
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, Tasuki!" Nuriko replied hastily, smiling even out of his worry.  
"Just checkin'. I called ya three times an' ya never answered, I thought mebbe you'd gone deaf or somethin'." The red-headed bandit replied. "What were ya thinking about?"  
"Things.." Nuriko waved a hand as though to wave away the question. "What did you want?"  
"Ta see why you're standin' here all by yerself in the rain." Tasuki replied, as though it should have been obvious. "You'll get fuckin' sick, keep standin' here in those wet clothes."  
"Oh.." Nuriko realized quite suddenly that he was cold- he had been thinking too much to notice the shivers or the clammy, wet cold that clung to his dress and thus to him. "You're right, but I can't go in just now."  
"Why th' fuck not?" The bandit was obviously confused. Nuriko laughed slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes.  
"Because I'll be discovered.. umm.. you know." Nuriko looked down at himself once more, asserting that, yes, the dress still stuck to him like glue. "That I'm a guy.."  
"Oh." Understanding reached Tasuki's eyes long before Nuriko thought it would. "Follow me, then."  
"Nani?" Nuriko asked, but Tasuki was already walked back towards the palace, but in a different direction than Nuriko had come from.  
Nuriko sighed, and followed.  
  
Tasuki led him to a small passage, and that hall, in which they encountered no one, led to a small room, which Nuriko knew must be Tasuki's room.  
"Ya can stay in here if ya want." The former bandit-leader said, tossing the older seishi a towel. "But dry yourself off first. I don' need everythin' fuckin' wet!"  
"A-arigato," Nuriko said, drying out his long violet hair. "I don't mean to be such a pain.."  
"Don't worry about it." Tasuki replied, smiling. "But ya might wanta take off that dress. It'll just make ya colder."  
Nuriko blushed suddenly, at the thought of undressing in front of.. in front of Tasuki.. in front of anyone!  
But Tasuki did have a point. He would be much colder if he kept on that dress- it would retain water and when he was dry, it would make him colder.  
"Ummm... Tasuki.." Nuriko began, but Tasuki smacked him lightly on the arm.  
"Don' worry. You're my friend, don' need ta be modest in front'a me."  
Nuriko smiled shakily and began to strip off the wet dress, blushing bright red the whole time. Afterwards, Tasuki directed him to get in the bed, under the covers, so that he could get warmer. Nuriko did so, smiling greatfully at the bandit.  
"But.. where're you going to sleep?" Nuriko asked Tasuki, who was currently leaning against the wall near the bed.  
"Th' floor. I'm okay with it." Tasuki replied. Nuriko frowned, thinking.  
"No, no, that won't do. It's your room." Nuriko said.  
"Unless ya wanna share, there ain't much choice. I ain't gonna let ya freeze."  
"I'll be okay, Tasuki." Nuriko replied, rising from the bed and bringing the blanket with him, wrapping it around himself like a makeshift dress. "But I've gotta go."  
Tasuki walked over to where Nuriko stood, and, in the space of maybe a minute, had pulled the older man into a rough hug.  
"T-Tasuki??"  
"Yeah?"  
The older seishi finally pulled away.  
"What was that for?" Nuriko asked after a moment, blushing.  
"Don' stay in the rain too long, okay?" Tasuki said, not answering the question. "I don' wanna hafta rescue you again."  
"Tasuki?"  
"Nuriko, I'll see ya tomorrow, okay?" Tasuki said, giving Nuriko a look that clearly meant 'drop it'. So he did. For now, anyway.  
Nuriko walked towards the door, but was stopped by Tasuki's hand on his shoulder.  
"Goodnight, Nuriko." Tasuki said. Nuriko nodded, still blushing faintly.  
"'Night, Tasuki." He replied.  
Nuriko took a step towards Tasuki and, hesitantly, looked up at the older seishi.  
"Nuriko, what're you.." His words were cut off, though, when the violet-haired warrior's lips met his own, briefly.  
Tasuki blushed, and so did Nuriko.  
"Just returning the favor." Nuriko said, smiling devilishly, turning to leave.  
"Nuriko.." Tasuki kissed the older seishi quickly, then stepped back. "Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, Tasuki.." Nuriko said, opening the door, then looked back for a minute. "By the way, Tasuki?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You're a really great kisser."  
Tasuki blushed, and Nuriko walked out.  
Out, into the rain..  
  
**Owari** 


End file.
